Aerial Device Capable of Additive Manufacturing and Associated Method

Abstract

An aerial device ( 100 ) capable of controlled flight comprises a first body ( 110 ) comprising a lift generator for providing lift to the aerial device ( 100 ); a second body ( 208 ) comprising a substance dispenser ( 122 ) for controllably dispensing a curable substance for additive manufacture; an articulated coupling assembly ( 200 ) coupling the first body ( 110 ) to the second body ( 208 ); an actuator ( 212; 214; 216 ) operable to articulate the articulated coupling assembly ( 200 ) so as to move the second body ( 208 ), and thereby the substance dispenser ( 122 ), relative to the first body ( 110 ); and a controller operable to control the lift generator, the substance dispenser ( 122 ), and the actuator ( 212; 214; 216 ).

1 . An aerial device capable of controlled flight, the aerial device comprising:
 a first body comprising a lift generator for providing lift to the aerial device;   a second body comprising a substance dispenser for controllably dispensing a curable substance for additive manufacture;   an articulated coupling assembly coupling the first body to the second body;   an actuator operable to articulate the articulated coupling assembly so as to move the second body, and thereby the substance dispenser, relative to the first body; and   a controller operable to control: the lift generator, the substance dispenser, and the actuator.   
     
     
         2 . The aerial device of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the actuator is fixedly coupled to the first body. 
     
     
         3 . The aerial device of  claim 2 , wherein the articulated coupling assembly comprises three arms arranged, together with the first body and second body, to form a delta robot. 
     
     
         4 . The aerial device of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is further operable to receive position-related information and to control the actuator based on the received information. 
     
     
         5 . The aerial device of  claim 4 , wherein the position-related information comprises image information from one or more cameras. 
     
     
         6 . The aerial device of  claim 5 , further comprising the one or more cameras. 
     
     
         7 . The aerial device of  claim 1 , further comprising an accelerometer arranged to produce acceleration-related information and provide that information to the controller, and further wherein the controller is operable to control the actuator based on the acceleration-related information. 
     
     
         8 . The aerial device of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is further operable to:
 determine a position of the first body or the second body relative to a target, and   based on the determined position, control the actuator in order to move the second body towards the target.   
     
     
         9 . The aerial device of  claim 8 , further comprising an energy store, and wherein the target is a charger operable to provide power to the energy store. 
     
     
         10 . The aerial device of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is further operable to detect an object and to control the actuator in order to catch the object. 
     
     
         11 . The aerial device of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is further operable, when the second body is resting on a surface, to control the actuator in order to jump the aerial device relative to the surface. 
     
     
         12 . A method of operating an aerial device, the aerial device comprising a first body comprising a lift generator for providing lift to the aerial device:
 a second body comprising a substance dispenser for controllably dispensing a curable substance for additive manufacture;   an articulated coupling assembly coupling the first body to the second body;   an actuator operable to articulate the articulated coupling assembly so as to move the second body, and thereby the substance dispenser, relative to the first body; and   a controller operable to control: the lift generator, the substance dispenser, and the actuator.   
     
     
         13 . A computer-readable medium carrying computer-readable instructions arranged, upon execution by a processor, to cause the processor to carry out the method of  claim 12 . 
     
     
         14 . A computer-readable medium having data stored thereon representative of the aerial device according to  claim 1 , the data being such that it can be relayed to an additive manufacturing device to enable the additive manufacturing device to fabricate the aerial device based on the data. 
     
     
         15 . (canceled)